Why a Healthy Mind Means a Healthy Body

People often see the mind and body as two distinct things, but in fact they’re intrinsically linked. This means that it’s impossible to have a healthy body if you don’t have a healthy mind. Here are just a few of the ways in which your psychology can affect your physiology. This guest post from Lloyds Pharmacy discusses the effect of psychology on your sex life, stress and anxiety.

The Effect of Psychology on Your Sex Life

You might not realise it, but your mental state can lead to a range of sexual problems. For example, stress and anxiety can reduce your sex drive. They can also lead to erectile dysfunction (ED), which is the inability to get and maintain an erection. Although the causes of ED are often physical, psychological factors can also be to blame. Worries about work, money, family, relationships and a range of other issues can trigger the condition. It’s now possible to access effective treatments for ED, such as the prescription medicines Viagra, Levitra and Cialis. However, it’s important to get to the root cause of the problem too. If psychological factors are found to have played a role, counselling may prove effective as a long-term solution.

How Stress Can Take its Toll on the Body

No one likes to feel stressed out. If you’re under too much pressure, you might feel anxious, irritable, tired and generally unhappy. Excessive stress can also lead to long-term physical harm. When you’re under strain, your body experiences a surge in the hormones that are associated with the so-called ‘fight or flight’ response.  In small doses, this is perfectly natural and normal. However, if your stress levels remain raised for long periods of time, you could find yourself at an increased risk of medical problems like high blood pressure. Some studies have even suggested that stress can increase the risk of heart disease. Too much anxiety and pressure can also increase people’s likelihood of misusing alcohol and drugs, and these vices are associated with their own health problems.

Anxiety Can Get in the Way of a Good Night’s Sleep

When you’re feeling wound up and anxious, you might struggle to get to sleep. In turn, this can have a knock-on effect on your physical wellbeing. For example, a lack of shuteye can lower your immunity and make it harder to stay in shape. It can even raise your risk of heart disease and diabetes, and it can lower your fertility. It’s recommended that adults get around eight hours of sleep a night, so if you think you’re not benefiting from enough rest, now could be the time to change your routine.

Given the close ties between mental and physical health, it’s vital that you do what you can to protect and promote your psychological wellbeing.

About the author

Bob Brotchie

Counsellor and Founder at Anglia Counselling Ltd | Personal Website

Bob Brotchie is a counsellor, life coach and creator of Conscious Living by Design™. He writes for Anglia Counselling, is featured on various other websites and introduces us to many guest writers all covering topics related to mental health and wellbeing.

Bob provides bespoke counselling services to clients in the privacy and comfort of a truly welcoming environment at his Anglia Counselling company office, located near Newmarket in Suffolk, England. Bob also provides professional online counselling, for local, national, and international clients. The therapeutic models offered are bespoke to the client’s needs, especially those in receipt of 'childhood emotional neglect' (CEN), whilst integrating a mindful approach to psychotherapy and cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) principles. For clients experiencing trauma and/or phobia, Bob offers EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing).